Compare towns
Braintree vs Dover vs Townshend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Braintree | Dover | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,466 |
1,538Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
53.5±8.3Lowest 24% above VT |
55.6±9.6 29% above VT |
| Braintree and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Braintree and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Dover and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
| Braintree and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$287,200±$79k 9% below VT |
| Dover and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405 32% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,074±$80Highest 13% below VT |
| Townshend and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,510 10% below VT |
$5,364Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
82.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 11% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.